Midget Martial Arts Class (Open to all)

[Kyan Mackenzie]

:: Holodeck | USS Challenger ::

NOTE: This thread takes place a few days/weeks AFTER the end of Dominion Rising.

Since joining Starfleet, and even decades prior to that, Kyan Mackenzie had taken every opportunity to learn how to better defend himself. Whether it was martial arts from Earth cultures or fighting styles from elsewhere around the galaxy, if he could use it, he took the time to learn about it. Since nearly ten times in ten he was outmuscled and outsized by his opponent, Kyan knew that he couldn't go blow for blow with anyone, nor could he employ grappling in the way that most martial arts did. But like most of his fellow Onlies, he made up for what he lacked in size and muscle with creativity. After all, there were certain advantages that he had when it came to physical combat with adult opponents who trained with the intent of fighting other adults. Eventually, he learned to use those advantages and developed his own unique style.

Of course, physics was physics. His size was less of an issue to overcome than his inherent fragility. His body was the same as any other ten-year-old boy, and in many cases smaller since he was a bit undersized. He couldn't afford to take a punch from an adult. Something would probably break. When he fought the Hunter on Katra Station he'd gotten a concussion and fractured his orbital socket. He'd also torn a ligament in his shoulder. Granted, he'd been hit with a crossbow but the Hunter could have caused the same damage with his fist. In that instance he'd have been more seriously injured, if not killed, but for someone nearby with a phaser rifle. But he had also managed to injure the Alpha seriously.

That was one of countless examples over the years of Kyan being able to hold his own or even overcome adult opponents in close quarters. Lt. Commander T'Kel likely had that fact in mind when she assigned him to teach a self-defense class for beginners or those of more diminutive stature. Aside from Onlies, there were several Federation species with people in Starfleet who fit the bill. Caitians were generally slightly built. Ithenites were Kyan's size on average, and there were even some Humans who were fairly small.

Usually, when he taught self-defense it was the standard Starfleet training but this was different. It was to teach the students how to defend themselves against larger, stronger opponents. So Kyan had decided against having them practice against one another, and instead against holo opponents who were actually bigger and stronger. Against the far wall, there were two lines of holo opponents standing motionless. Klingons, Nausiccans, Jem Hadar, and several other species were represented.

The class wasn't mandatory, so he wasn't sure how many people would show up. Regardless, he was looking forward to see how other people dealt with their size disadvantages in self defense. Since the instruction wasn't about a specific style or discipline, but more about tactics designed for smaller individuals to overcome larger ones, there were likely to be different levels of competency and even completely different styles.

Sitting on the mat, Kyan saw that he had a few minutes before things started so he started a stretching routine to get loose while waiting for everyone to show up.

[myne]

:: Holodeck | USS Challenger ::
(This is a out of continuity One off, as we are unsure the prognosis of Myne.)

Myne had sat in her pillow fort for some time contemplating if she should go to training that her room mate had suggested. However after a lot of soul searching she decided simply 'what would it hurt.' So she emerged and thought for a few minutes what would be proper 'work out clothes'.

'Ah ha!', she thought as she fished threw her bag she kept under the bed and pulled out her old dancers silks. They were very modest and covering, but allowed for a total freedom of movement. Pulling and wiggling into them a pang of worry crossed her mind as she wondered if Kyan would disapprove.

'He asked me to come', she thought as she grabbed the belled anklet as a afterthought and placed it around her delicate ankle. Leaving her shoes by the bed she hurried out and did her best to find where she was instructed. As she hurried she would skip allowing her bells to sing and announce her approach.

Entering she spotted her room mate Kyan and waved as the small girl skipped in with bells singing on each bounce. Her dancers silks were cool to her touch and a welcome reminder of the fun times when she would dance in the sand pits. She would feel free and happy then...

Walking over to Kyan she smiled down with two red pigtails that would try to bounce on there own if they could as she said, "Hello Big Brother!"

[Kyan Mackenzie]

Kyan had been on his back with one knee drawn up to his chest when the girl walked in. He had invited her to come to the class not really thinking she would. He was surprised, in a good way. A few seconds after she spoke, he let go of his knee and sat up.

Now upright, he assumed a cross-legged posture and looked up at her. Her attire was...different. He had opted for the standard Starfleet exercise uniform of white workout pants and a short-sleeved shirt of the same color with a gold department stripe across the chest. She wore what looked like a silken leotard with what looked like big silk flower petals flowing from the waist. Dancing silks. he remembered her saying. He shrugged it off internally. It was more stuff from the slavers, but it looked functional.

And truth be told, Kyan was wary of offering criticism to his fellow Onlie. Last time she'd ended up in Sickbay. She was doing ok now, but he knew it wasn't as simple as that. She wasn't better yet, and wouldn't be for a while. He offered her a smile. "Merry Met Melly!" he smiled. "I'm glad yer here so. I think you'll like this class."

[M'Nia]

The Doors opened to admit M'nia. She had heard about this and decided to give it a shot. 'Hello Melly, Kyan. How are you?" the caitian asked.

[myne]

And truth be told, Kyan was wary of offering criticism to his fellow Onlie. Last time she'd ended up in Sickbay. She was doing ok now, but he knew it wasn't as simple as that. She wasn't better yet, and wouldn't be for a while. He offered her a smile. "Merry Met Melly!" he smiled. "I'm glad yer here so. I think you'll like this class."

[ Ensign Myne | Holodeck | USS Challenger ]

Ensign Myne curtsied to Lieutenant Kyan as she entered and lowered to her knees before tilting her body to the side to lean and rest on one hand with the other sitting on one of the large petals. She relaxed a bit as she smiled to him, "I was warey but I thought since you suggested I might try it. I do hope my attire is good. You said workout clothes and well... this is the closest I have,"

The Doors opened to admit M'nia. She had heard about this and decided to give it a shot. 'Hello Melly, Kyan. How are you?" the caitian asked.

Ensign Melly smiled up to the Caitian and nodded her head with a happy smile, "I am most well, how are you Ms M'nia!"

The Onlie was not a fan of combat, so much of her training over the past century always stressed the same. 'If someone swings at you. You deserve to be hit. You did bad and it's your fault." Starfleet training 'helped' to put this aside but it was still deep down ingrained. Especially after the incident in Quarks. But she would be strong and try to learn.

She would hope to be pleasing and do well.

[M'Nia]

"I am well. A new day has dawned and I feel good." Her tail twitched slowly back and forth as she walked. "So far so good!" she wore the standard starfleet workout uniform as well. She enjoyed a good workout and this could be a good one. She was still pretty new so she was still getting to know the people but she was enjoying serving aboard this ship!

[Kyan Mackenzie]

:: Holodeck | USS Challenger ::

"œIt's ok." Kyan offered to his roommate. "œI'd be wearing me own regular clothes, but I dinnae want to mess them up if one of this lot over here manages to get ahold of me so."

It seemed like Melly and M'Nia would likely be the only two, or at least the only two who were getting here on time, so Kyan decided to get started. He stood up and went over to one of the holo opponents. "œSo, the first thing tae ken on fightin is that since we're all small, that everyone we'd be goin against is gonna be bigger and stronger so. An for me and Melly an maybe even you too M'Nia, even though you're a grup, if they hit us it hurts more"¦ and does more damage. And that's the last thing yer wantin if you gotta fight. So this class isn't about showin you how tae do moves or learn a style of fightin, because yer both officers so already showed yous that. What we're after doing here is usin what you already know and learnin how tae use that and have a good strategy. I'll go first and show ya."

Kyan tapped the holo opponent, a Cappellan in native Capellan garb, who came to life. The man was nearly seven feet tall and well built, which was about average for his species. He adopted a fighting stance with one foot slightly back, and his hands open at about chest level. He began to throw a punch.

"œPause." Kyan said as the fist neared him. Then he stepped back. "œRight, so you see how he's gotta punch down at me? And you see how he's gotta bend over like this? If it hits me, I'm like tae be knocked down, but if I dodge it, then he is off balance. But ye cannae dodge before he puts his weight into it, so it's timing ye see? Computer, reset."

The Cappellan returned to his fighting stance and Kyan took his place in front of him. "œOk. Resume."

The man threw a jab with his right hand and Kyan dodged to his left by bending backwards at the waist and taking a long step back. When the man's arm was fully past him, he put his other foot out and and stepped forward, putting himself at the man's right flank, behind him. "œPause." He said again. "œOk see?" Now he's off balance. So he's gotta reset. And I'm behind him. It's nae gonna be that easy every time, but most times it is. Because they gotta punch down tae hit us, and grups ain't use to that. It's not how they train ye see? So that's an advantage that we got." He indicated the Capellan's back. "œAn if we get here, then we can do lots of things. If we got a knife, or even a phaser. Or even just kicking his leg out. Lots of stuff that we can do." He turned toward Melly and M'Nia. "œBut if they're quicker, then you cannae rush to get behind him. Cuz then they might grab you. An that's no where ye wanna be for sure. So you gotta avoid him until you can get behind him. So there's two places you wanna be. Either you're out of reach, or yer behind them." He indicated the holos. "œOk. So"¦ now it's your turn.  Pick on of them and just avoid them. Dinnae worry about hitting them. Just keep yerself from getting hit or grabbed."

[myne]

The man threw a jab with his right hand and Kyan dodged to his left by bending backwards at the waist and taking a long step back. When the man's arm was fully past him, he put his other foot out and and stepped forward, putting himself at the man's right flank, behind him. "œPause." He said again. "œOk see?" Now he's off balance. So he's gotta reset. And I'm behind him. It's nae gonna be that easy every time, but most times it is. Because they gotta punch down tae hit us, and grups ain't use to that. It's not how they train ye see? So that's an advantage that we got." He indicated the Capellan's back. "œAn if we get here, then we can do lots of things. If we got a knife, or even a phaser. Or even just kicking his leg out. Lots of stuff that we can do." He turned toward Melly and M'Nia. "œBut if they're quicker, then you cannae rush to get behind him. Cuz then they might grab you. An that's no where ye wanna be for sure. So you gotta avoid him until you can get behind him. So there's two places you wanna be. Either you're out of reach, or yer behind them." He indicated the holos. "œOk. So"¦ now it's your turn.  Pick on of them and just avoid them. Dinnae worry about hitting them. Just keep yerself from getting hit or grabbed."

[ Ensign Myne | Holodeck | USS Challenger ]

Myne slowly rose from her sprawl on the floor and carefully approached a Capellan. She knew of these people and sadly they might have been one of the many who would have got her in the past do to there culture. However putting this aside she looked firmly to the Capellan and sighed.

She assumed a loose stance, wiggling her joints to free the tension before she said, 'program proceed'.

The man quickly reached for her, and she remembered the various slavers, the owners, and everything and at first she hesitated but a moment. However after that she was quick to twirl her body as he reached before ducking with a gently roll before him on her side as silks floated with her. Rising she tensed on a foot to lift to one side as if to spring to the right but it was a feint to hop to the left. When the man turned and reached she twirled against his right arm on the outside and tapped his back as she twirled to rest there.

[M'Nia]

After myne went, M'nia took her turn. She wasn't strong but she was quick and agile. She approached the cappellan. They had  a well earned bad reputation She said "Program proceed" the cappelan came after her. He reached out but he was slower than her and she duck and avoided his grasp. He lunged for her and she slipped around back and got him in a hold. She kicked his leg out out brings him down. "Ha!" she says in triumph.

[Kyan Mackenzie]

:: USS Challenger | Holodeck ::

Kyan knew that Melly had done whatever passed for combat training for Science types at the academy. Whether or not she'd retained any of it wasn't worth considering in his opinion. It was basically a few jujitsu moves and going through the motions of a few striking techniques. Even if she had retained it, it was all but useless to her. Just as it was to him. Neither of them possessed the strength to strike a full grown opponent in a stand up fight. Again, a moot point because neither of them possessed the height to strike a full grown opponent either, unless it was an Ithenite, or maybe a Ferengi. No, what was required was skill, quickness, and knowledge. Melly was smart. Kyan knew that. She was smarter than him in any case. Maybe she wasn't as experienced as he was in Starfleet but she was definitely an egghead.

Kyan figured that someday she'd get over her Postimatic Stress thing and then she'd be off and running. He'd had a lot of issues when he joined Starfleet too. But his weren't from things happening to him. The headshrinkers said that he had bad role models. But Kyan knew that was just grups being stuck up about Klingons and Ferengi. How could anyone say Korgon was a bad influence? He'd treated Kyan like a son. The House of Korgon wasn't noble and didn't have vast tracts of lands on Qo'Nos, but the old Warrior accepted Kyan into his house regardless. He taught him how to fight, and until he could, protected him against people who tried to take advantage of him. Dahg was a typical Ferengi, but he also gave Kyan a job and treated him like anyone else on the crew. In fact, Kyan was there when the old Ferengi's daughter was born, herself now a grandmother.

All in all, Kyan didn't have a high opinion of headshrinks. But they weren't always wrong. Even Doctor Phil had a good idea now and again, like oputting him with Xasik and Sirol for IRT. That had worked out great. And they were probably right about Melly too. She had been taken advantage of and didn't have anyone to protect her until now. Nobody had taught her how to defend herself. They were too busy telling her lies. He told himself that it never would have happened to him. And maybe he believed that a little. But there was part of him that knew that if he had gotten picked up by the wrong people, that he could have been hurt like she'd been. He thanked the Powers for Juniper and Sam Mackenzie, for Korgon, and even Dahg. And more recently for Lucius Peer, who saw potential in him when no other Captain would tolerate his antics.

Melly hadn't had any people like that until she got to the Challenger. Kyan was determined to see that she got to show her potential like he had, and he was happy to see others like that Doctor Beuhler and her boss, Lieutenant Sigurdsdottir"¦ who reminded him quite a lot of Hrafn Tekkin-Falleg, to help her. As he watched her shimmy and dance around the Capellan, he could see that she'd be a quick study at that part of fighting, which for her, was the most important. The other part he knew would be hard for her. They'd get to it eventually, but not now. He didn't know how long it would take, but for now she could master evasion and that would be enough to keep her relatively safe in a pinch.

M'Nia's dispatching the Capellan broke his reverie. Grinning as he nodded approval, Kyan spoke up. "œAye, that's good. Melly yer dancing moves are good for getting away from folk so they are. An I think it's a natural yer gonna be on that part of it so." Then addressing M'nia, "œAn you got some good moves too M'nia. That leg kick was strong an no mistake. But I'd be after seein ye have a better position when ye put him on the ground. The best way is tae make sure they land on their stomach so. Because then, they got their back to ye, and cannae see what yer after doin. Or if ye cannae knock em all the way down, then ye can step on their calves so they cannae get back up"¦ then they're short like us!"

He indicated the other holo opponents. "œOk. So now ye can pick another one, and we'll have a foolie with it. Computer, Training program Mackenzie 1A."

The floor shimmered from mats into the normal black and gold grid squares of the holodeck. "œOk. This is like that Human game called "œTwister". Except that when yer squares light up, you gotta get around the opponent and touch it without them touching you."